1,000 bus journeys a day: inside the summer 2026 rail replacement operation

When construction machinery is on the tracks instead of trains, another part of the CFL comes to the foreground: the buses – and, above all, the staff who reliably get passengers to their destinations even whilst construction work is underway.

“When you say ‘construction work’, you’re talking about rail replacement services – and that inevitably means buses,” explains Alex. Together with his team, he coordinates the rail replacement services at the CFL.

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More than just running buses

“When work is being carried out on a railway line, it’s not enough simply to put on a few extra buses,” says Alex. Rail replacement services are a discipline in their own right, with very specific requirements.

A three-carriage train can accommodate just under 300 passengers – equivalent to the seating capacity of around six 15-metre buses. But the challenge goes far beyond that: replacement buses must transport large numbers of passengers, be coordinated with the timetables of the trains still in service, and take into account road traffic, construction sites and changing travel habits.

Planning instead of improvisation

For rail replacement services to work, there must first be a sufficient number of buses available. These are available particularly during the school holidays, as they are not needed for school transport at that time.

However, forward-looking planning, close coordination with partners and a high degree of flexibility are at least as important. Simply ordering buses is not enough. Sufficient road capacity, additional driving staff, cooperation with local authorities and transport partners, as well as good coordination with the public bus network, are needed to ensure that CFL replacement buses and RGTR services complement each other effectively.

“Our solution must meet many needs simultaneously,” emphasises Alex. Behind the scenes, the challenge is to reconcile passenger flows, road capacity, transfer times and construction site logistics.

Experience and Customer Feedback

Listening, understanding and improving: this approach also plays a central role in bus operations. “Customer needs are constantly changing. That is why it is important to take feedback seriously and incorporate it into planning,” explains Alex.

Analysis of the first day of the rail replacement service in summer 2025 showed that many passengers were travelling earlier than expected. While some buses still had spare capacity, others lacked available seats. The lessons learned were put to immediate use: this summer, additional buses are already in place at earlier times.

In summer 2026, around 1,000 bus journeys were operated every day, made possible by the efforts of approximately 200 bus drivers. “At the CFL, we are always looking for the best solution for our customers. Perhaps not everything is perfect, but every day we do our utmost to get as close as possible to that goal.”